RINGSIDE POLITICS – APRIL 8, 2021

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Welcome to another edition of Ringside Politics with Jeff Crouere

Today’s Hot Topics:

1) U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo asserted that tariffs previously applied to metal goods produced abroad “helped save American jobs” in certain related industries on Wednesday, as federal officials determine their next steps amid ongoing trade tensions with China.

“I would say, here’s my broad view. And I don’t want to get into details on any particular company,” said Raimondo, who assumed her role as chief of the Commerce Department under President Joe Biden’s administration last month, in remarks delivered during a White House press briefing.

“My broad view is, what we do on offense is more important than what we do on defense. To compete with China, we need to rebuild America in all the ways we’re talking about today. And, by the way, do that with our allies,” the cabinet head continued. “You know, we have to work with our allies and find common ground where we can.”

2) House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) told reporters that the U.S. was on a “good path” regarding the southern border, at an event in California on Wednesday.

“The fact is that we’re on a good path at the border under the leadership of President Biden,” Pelosi said. “It’s about restructuring how we do what is happening there, because we were in a very bad situation under the Trump administration.”

3) President Biden backs a ban on the MLB All-Star Game being played in Georgia over changes to the Peach State’s voting laws, but is not mulling a boycott of the 2022 Beijing Olympics — despite China’s genocide against its Uighur minority, impingements on democracy in Hong Kong, and refusal to take responsibility for the coronavirus outbreak.

Speaking to reporters Wednesday, White House press secretary Jen Psaki offered the press corps conflicting guidance from what State Department chief spokesman Ned Price advised on Tuesday, when he said the administration was speaking to allies about a possible boycott of the games.

“Certainly our hope is that we are at a point where enough people across the country and hopefully around the world have been vaccinated, but we will rely on health and medical experts on that particular piece,” Psaki began, noting that only health factors appeared to be standing in the way of US participation.

4) The White House on Tuesday insisted that there is a “bipartisan path forward” on passing President Joe Biden’s sweeping and costly infrastructure plan, but it comes as his effort got a major boost if he gets no Republican support.

Senate Democrats are eyeing another use of the fast-track budget reconciliation process to get the measure passed after the Senate parliamentarian, a nonpartisan arbiter of the body’s arcane rules, said Monday night that Senate Democrats could use the tool for a second time to move Biden’s agenda forward as they did with his COVID-19 relief package.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s spokesman released a statement on Monday saying that “no decision has been made” whether Democrats would try to push the plan through without any GOP backing but that reconciliation remains an option.

Today’s Guests:

1) Col. Allen West, Chairman of the Texas Republican Party – calls in the state of affairs in the Republican Party and the nation as a whole.

2) Patrice Onwuka, Director, Center for Economic Opportunity, Independent Women’s Forum –

3) Stephen Leeb, Editor of The Complete Investor and author of “China’s Rise and the New Age of Gold” – calls in to give his expert insight in the latest mania surrounding Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies

4) Steve Konos, Ringside Politics Creative Director; Ringside Politics Parody of the Week – joins the show to share and discuss his weekly political parody.

5) Josh Bernstein, Ringside All-Star – joins the show to opine with callers and discuss the events of the week.